Giving “Piece” of Mind, One Family at a Time.
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Autism service dogs are much more than just dogs to the families they serve; they are an irreplaceable part of those families’ everyday lives.
These wonderful animals can help an autistic child focus and get acquainted with their surroundings without being so overwhelmed by sensory overload. By helping the child more easily adapt to their surroundings, the dog is helping reduce the outbursts and tantrums that the child may otherwise exhibit. This, in turn, can also help the parents reduce their stress, thereby resulting in a positive cumulative effect for the family.
When a child’s parents take him or her to the park, for instance, they can tether the dog and child together and have peace of mind knowing the child is safe and protected the entire time they are at their outing. This can help free up a little bit of time for the parents to take a rest on a nearby bench, which again, can help reduce their stress as well.
The service dog website Paws with a Cause has a story about a young autistic boy named Elliot and his service dog Lewis. Elliot’s parents were having a hard time helping Elliot go to sleep at night, and once asleep, it was difficult for him to remain asleep. After taking Lewis into their home, Elliot now has help from Lewis when it’s time for him to go to bed. When he wakes in the middle of the night, instead of mom or dad coming to calm him back into sleep, he will pet Lewis until he drifts back off again. Elliot’s dad Daniel summed it up best when he said, “It seems ironic to say a two-year-old Lab is bringing calm to a home, but he truly is.” Not only is Lewis helping Elliot adjust better and sleep better, but he is also helping Daniel and his wife, Dorene, stress less and sleep better.
Places like Paws with a Cause, Autism Service Dogs of America, and other such organizations help place service dogs with prospective families. However, there are costs to these organizations to breed, purchase, inspect, house, and train their canines. This is where Ady’s Army comes in!
Ady’s Army is comprised of different areas in which we assist families of autistic children. One area is Ady’s Paws. Here, we help families with the cost of adopting a much-needed service dog.
Another area is Ady’s Barracks. Ady’s Barracks helps families raise money for fencing when they have a child who experiences autism wandering. This wandering can be dangerous, and we felt it important to offer assistance with this issue.
There is also Ady’s Wings. This is a program we offer to help with the expense of traveling so a family is not limited to local facilities for treatment.
We enjoy being able to be a place of support and assistance to all those beautiful families out there who are dealing with autism and its effects. If you have any questions or thoughts you would like to share, please contact us and let us know!
